Reenforcement for shovel handles



L'. E. WEBSTER REENFORCEMENT FOR SHOVEL HANDLES Filed Feb. 4. 1922 l mg En "5 :l l

Fatented Nov.

arrasar @idFllQFa LEWIS E. WEBSTER, OF VIYOMING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WYOMING SHOVEL WORKS, OF WYOMING, ENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF'PENNSYL- VANIA.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Luwis E. VEBsTi-in, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at lVyoming, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reenforcement for Shovel Handles, 0f which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

In the manufacture of shovels and like tools where the so-called Drhandles are employed it has been found desirable to insert reinforcing screws in the grip portion of the D handle. The purpose of these screws has been to reinforce and strengthen the D handle, allow for an adjustment and take up, should shrinkage or a split occur. rlhe screws or bolts heretofore used for this purpose have not been found entirely satisfactory as they tend to back out of place and it has been found diliicult to properly place the same in the handle grip.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a wooden handle reinforced by slotless screws of a novel form to the general end that the completed handle will be stronger, more durable and not subject to the disadvantages and defects of former reinforced wooden handles.

Other objects and advantages will be further pointed out in the accompanying specication and shown on the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a shovel handle reinforced with my novel slotless screw.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view which shows the manner in which the slotless screws rotate as they enter the wood and illustrates the manner in which one screw portion closes the slot in the wood forced by the preceding screw portion.

Fig. 3 shows detail top and side views of the slotless screws.

Referring t0 Fig. 3. the screws comprise a cylindrical stem 11, here shown as rounded. Upset from the metal of the cylindrical stem are swedged screw-threaded portions 12. 13 and 14 and a second group of threaded portions marked 12b. 13b and 14h. The angle of lead of each threaded portion is such that the spirals do not align with each other. In the present embodiment I have found it preferable to displace the spirals REENFORCEMENT FOR SHOVEL HANDLES.

Divided and this application led February of threaded portions 12, 13 and 14, 120o from each other. Threaded portions 12a, 13b and 14D are so arranged that the developed spirals are likewise displaced 120 relatively to each other and are also displaced 180o relatively to the corresponding spirals of threaded portions 12, 13 and 141-. This relative displacement of the displaced spirals produces certain desirable results to be hereafter set forth.

In applying the slotless screws to reinforce a shovel handle I drill in from the sides of the grip and flat portions of the handle parallel holes 15 of such diameter as to snugly receive the shank portions of the slotless screws. The holes do not extend entirely through and have a length in excess of the length of the slotless screws as shown at 16 in Fig. 1. Preferably the ends of the holes are countersunk to provide a recess for the heads of the screws.

After drilling the slotless screws are inserted from opposite sides and driven into place by a hammer, arbor press or other tool. The driving action causes the threaded portions to enter the wood and thereafter a spiral rotation is imparted to the screw as the same is advanced. The various individual and separated thread portions all enter the wood at different places and the effect ofthis entry is to close up the spiral slot in the wood made by the preceding threaded portion so that Vfinally the slotlessv screws are in effect molded in the wood. Furthermore, each threaded portion enters solid wood not heretofore displaced and the result is that the slotless screws are firmly secured in place in the handle and do not tend to back out. The closure 0f the spiral paths in the wood behind the threaded portions also occurs when the wood shrinks and this shrinkage supplements the tightening action and prevents the loosening of the screws.

Should the handle shrink enough to allow the slotless screws to protrude, the latter may be hammered in further by reason of the extended drilled opening 16, and they will thereafter be securely held in position. Also if the handle should accidentally be split, the split portion can be drawn together by driving in the slotless screws. The screws overlapping by a considerable portion of their length form a strong andrigid reenforcement for the Weakest parts of the D handle.

This application is a division of myY co-` pending application Serial No.401,795, filed August 6,1920.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A reinforced shovel handle comprising, in combination, a handle body portion of D-shape and having a plurality of drilled holes overlapping each other at their ends and spaced apart, a plurality of. slotless screws each driven into one of said 'openings and each Vscrew having a plurality of independent and separate threaded portions each lying 'upon' alseparate developed spiral to enter Vthe body .portion at' varying points thereof, lsaid screi'vs beingadapted to compress theint'ervening material between the overlapping ends yof the drilled holes.

2. vA shovel handle having a plurality of preformed holes thereimextending- Vinto the same from opposite directions, in combinasignature.

tion With means for lreinforcing thefhandle Y Wise driving of thesame intov position.

3. A reenforcement vfor a shovelhandleY comprising a handle body portion, a plurality of slotlessscrevvs having shank portions closely fitting preformed holesV in the:

handle body portion, said holes/having a length in excess of the length of the shankVV of the screws, thread portions on said shank adapted to enter and embed in the Wood of the handle uponthe endwise driving of the same into position, said extended hle portions permitting the slotlessy screws to be driven into deeper positionsupon the shrinkage or splitting ofthe handle for the purpose described. "f v y Y ln testimony whereof I -heretoaffix lmy LEWIS WEBSTER. 

